Thanks to jjmcgaffey for suggesting Rae the Doe, and
for calling this “a kerning pun!” to assist anyone who may find it puzzling.
And an OY-semi-CIDU from Maggiethecartoonist:
This song is in that peculiar category of musical quasi-familiarity, where I became acquainted with a piece from its use in advertising, or as a television theme song, that I probably never would have run into otherwise. “New Soul” by Yael Naim. “You’ve Got Time” by Regina Spektor. “One Week” by The Barenaked Ladies (this one I might have found otherwise). “Flower Duet from Lakmé” by Léo Delibes (this one I surely would have run into sooner or later, but did encounter first in the British Airways ads).
Most of those I put in a playlist at some point or even bought further work from the same artist ; but “Mister Roboto” always remained for me just “that song from one of those car commercials” until last week, when this cartoon appeared and I wanted to verify the idea suggested by the pun. (BTW, the car brand turns out to have been VW, and the sketch uses comic actor Tony Hale.)
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Comics I Don't Understand 
Bling for the gams, ha pretty good! (But is it actually kerning at issue there?)
There was a musical piece used in jewelry store advertising that people for a while said was from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons; but couldn’t actually locate there , so started saying was from some other work of his, or a contemporary of his. But then later the story seemed to become that it had been commissioned from a modern composer, to sound like The Four Seasons, and the actual composer was named and was proud to claim / acknowledge his work. I don’t know what the read facts are.
I honestly don’t listen to Styx all that much, and it took me a minute to get the reference.
I had assumed (just from the homonym) that the gag was somehow related to the band’s name, but I didn’t recognize a single title on the front wall of the house, and the densely written fine print under the comic didn’t help me, either, because the one link that I would have needed wasn’t included. Therefore, for all the rest of you, here it is: “Mr. Roboto“, by Styx.
I seriously wish PIrarro would take back doing the strip. The art may be the same but..
The last link in that write-up was to the Volkswagen commercial which made use of “Mr. Roboto”. Granted, it doesn’t say “Styx” in any clear way.
I got all their early albums in a Styx-pack. Ba-dum.
@ Dana – The reference to “kerning” is only because of the relevant space between the words “gam” and “bling“.
P.S. Of course, if Rae the Doe had invested in more sparkly items, then she could have said that she had bought some “glam gam bling”.
Thanks for the kerning clue. Without that, I would have spaced it.
“…spaced it.” snerk
Why is it so hard to have a relationship with a tennis player? Love means nothing to them.
Chak, you may be interested in checking out Dan Piraro’s remarks at the Bizarro blog this week, with a congratulatory note for Wayno’s nomination:
@ Chak – The “Daily Cartoonist” recently reported about all the “Reuben” nominees, including the three nominees for best newspaper “panel”:
… as opposed to strip:
P.S. I hope that my two personal favorites win, but I wouldn’t bet any money on the outcome.
Persistence pays off, eh? Eventually, everyone gets nominated?
@ larK – My thoughts exactly: that’s the one entry that I hope does not win.
That Wayne nominee panel is a CIDU to me. Perhaps the hidden, textual segment would help. I get that it is a reversal of the vampire/mirror schtick, but then I’m stuck.
@ Boise Ed – You nailed the “reversal” part; all that is needed to complete the gag is the caption, which is the word “INVISIBLE“, but horizontally reflected, from right to left.
P.S. Sorry, that’s wrong, the reflected word is “VAMPIRE“.
There was a record store in a Simpsons episode named STYX AND STONES.